finding your fitness village

I haven't really shouted it from the treetops but I also haven't been shy sharing details of my journey towards better physical and mental health (there's actually a whole "file under P for personal" post coming up about that) but suffice it to say that I am not a stranger to knowing that making a commitment to transform your life is a huge commitment.  While I am not at the "end" of my journey, I can state with no uncertainty these three truths:

3) You need to track your progress, whether that's by the size of your pants, by the weight you can clean and press, or by the distance you can run (or a number on the scale, which is really only one of many things to get excited about).

2) You need to be committed to changing your lifestyle to include conscious eating and exercise for fitness and health - I am personally committed to doing squats not so my ass looks better in jeans but so that I can go to the bathroom unassisted as long as possible... #reallifegoals

1) you need SUPPORT by like-minded people who are on the same road as you are, who will not judge, who know when to cheerlead and when to tell you to get your head out of the clouds (or your own backside), who GET it, who get YOU...

You can find a million formal and informal, paid and unpaid, online and in-person, local, national, and international communities out there - Weight Watchers, TOPS, My Fitness Pal, Apple Health, FitBit, a private chef and full-time personal trainer... and no two programs are completely alike, which is great, because no two people are alike.  Regardless of which program or combination of programs you choose, the number one thing that will spur you on to the lasting success is going to be SUPPORT.  I have joked with my friend and colleague Christine Hopaluk who lost 100lbs and became a personal trainer (go check out her inspirational blog!) that when you find your fitness "village" you will know it, and while I have mine already at No More Excuses (also led by a woman who lost weight and turned her passion into a career - read their bios and you'll see why this is my "village" lol), I have a feeling for many others still searching, Healthy Role Models, might be the right choice.

I was fortunate enough last year to be introduced to HRM - an international network of like-minded, self-mentoring challengers who have created this AMAZING community - because a friend and colleague (and co-gym-rat) did not feel she was the right fit as a photographer for this project and I cannot tell you how fortuitous it was.  I kid you not, when I found out that several of the ladies who organized a photo shoot celebrating themselves wherever they were at on their personal journeys, I would not have known that many of them had never actually met in person!  They were true sisters in spirit and the entire day was inspiring and uplifting, with each woman on a completely different path to being actively healthy.  They were, quite simply, a village.

If you are interested in finding out more (or signing up!) there is a new challenge starting NEXT WEEK (yes, next week...) GO NOW!!!

Without further ado, here are 10 of the amazing travellers taking the same journey as I am, on the road that works for them, with the village that loves them.  If you haven't yet, I truly hope you find your fitness village, too.










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